A head up display emits light that reflects from the front windshield to be seen by the driver. The light appears to come from a virtual image in front of the driver and in front of the windshield. This type of head up display is currently commercially available.
Conventional head up displays create the virtual image by first using a display to create an image. Next, the light from the image is reflected from one or more mirrors. Next, the light from the mirrors is reflected from the windshield. The mirrors are designed and positioned relative to the display so that the light seen by the driver, which is reflected from the windshield, appears to come from a virtual image that is outside of the vehicle. The mirrors and display are typically contained in a package that occupies a volume beneath the top surface of the dashboard.
Vehicles include side view mirrors which protrude from the side of the vehicle and which can impact things or be impacted by things, causing damage to the mirrors and/or to the things that the mirrors impact or are impacted by. The side view mirrors also produce wind-drag when the vehicle is moving, which has a deleterious effect on fuel economy.